Foot massage or foot reflexology has a Chinese origin. It dates

back to more than 3,000 years ago and is used in the prevention

and cure of many health ailments.

Some in fact say, foot massage dates back to ancient Eygyptian

times due to archaeological findings in cave drawings in Egypt.

The principle of foot massage rests in the premise that the

meridian network connects all tissues, organs and cells in our

body. Each organ in the body is connected to a specific reflex

point on the foot through the intermediary of 300 nerves. A

trained foot reflexologist can put pressure on different

meridians or energy lines on the sole and side of the feet to

determine the cause of illness.

By using pressure to these the reflex points, the foot massage

is good for stimulating the activity internal organs, and to

improve blood and lymph circulation. Thus, the top to bottom

well being of a person can be made through the foot.

The principles of foot massage is not in congruence with

western allopathic medicine. Western medicine merely sees the

foot as a body part comprising of bones, ligaments and joints.

However, foot massage is fast gaining much popularity and

acceptance as an alternative health treatment. Fans of foot

massage believe it can cure not only colds and minor ailments,

but more serious ailments as well. These ailments include liver

dysfunction, constipation problems, chronic headaches, skin

allergies, etc.

Like most Oriental medical techniques, foot reflexology is a

“holistic” treatment. It concentrates on treating the whole

person rather than just the symptoms of one particular ailment.

While Western medicine promises speedy recovery of all

unpleasant symptoms, foot massage therapy can be slow and

gradual. A series of visits is necessary to strengthen the body

and to bring the body back to balance.

A session of foot reflexology in San Francisco, can set you

back as much as US$40-100. Thus, foot massages over a period of

time, can add up in terms of costs.

However, for practitioners and believers of foot massage, the

cost for good health is well worth it. The alternative would

have been money spent in clinics and western hospitals for

prescription drugs and perhaps, invasive surgery.